Paris
by Kiki102
Summary: Post JD. A case takes the team to Paris, where they make an unexpected discovery. JIBBS, established TIVA.
1. Chapter 1

**This is a post Judgment Day story. In this universe, the whole Rivkin thing never happened which is why Michael is called Michael. I apologise if the French is wrong, it was never my strong point and I haven't done any for over a year and now do Italian so i kept getting them muddled. Hopefully you can understand my text language, if you can't send me a PM and I'll either tell you or put a translation in the next update. Reviews make me jump up and down with joy! (hint hint...) **

**Christina x**

**NCISNCISNCIS  
**

It was early. The sun was beginning to peek over the top of the buildings, bathing the city in an orange glow. Already there were cars on the road, drivers going to another day at work. People hurried along the streets, passing boulangeries and cafés, no one giving a second glance at the woman standing on the small balcony over looking the city. Her red hair was loose, falling over her shoulders as she leant on the wrought iron railing, looking out at the view. Even after three years Jenny Shepard still found the view breathtaking. She could see the Eiffel Tower, standing proud, Notre Dame on the banks of the Seine, and the Arc de Triomphe, currently surrounded by cars. The strained sound of the traffic reached her ears.

Only once the sun had fully risen did Jenny move. Watching the sunrise was how she started every morning. Then she left her small apartment, walking down the five flights of stairs. Outside in the street, the air was warm, it was spring and not yet too hot. The long hot European summers made her think of summers past, memories which were still painful even yet. Like she did every morning Jenny went to the little post office and checked her postal box. It contained only one letter, the address written in a familiar scrawl. The postal workers had complained before that her correspondent had terrible writing. As usual, the name was different from the last, but each time with the initials J.S. Writing her real name, like her address, was too dangerous. Today the letter was addresses to Jasmine Sanchez. Jenny bought a takeout coffee from one of the cafés and carried it to the park. She sat on a bench and carefully opened the letter.

_14__th__ May_

_Dear Jenny,_

_How's Paris? Forgotten all of us back home yet? Enjoying all the wonderful delicacies like snails and frog legs and horse sausages still?_

She smiled, almost able to hear the humor in his voice.

_Michael turned two last week, I put in a picture for you to see of the three of us. He's growing up so fast._

_I know you'll be wanting the lowdown on what's going on at NCIS, so I'm quite tempted to not tell you but you'd probably arrange to have me killed so I'll tell you. Everything's fine. Vance is still director (unfortunately!) and Gibbs hasn't started a war with anyone yet. Although he does try hard sometimes. _

That was one thing she didn't miss, clearing up Jethro's mess every second day. Correction, every day. Politics really was not his strong point.

_We all miss you and wish you were still here. Although considering the rest of them all think you're dead it's a bit different for them but you know what I mean. Bye Jenny._

_Tony _

Jenny stared at the familiar writing for a moment, then took the photo from the envelope. She smiled at Tony and Ziva holding their two year old son Michael, whose hand was caught in his mother's hair as she held him. Tony had his arm slung around Ziva's waist and his other hand on Michael's arm. Jenny felt a wave of homesickness. She missed them all so much.

**XOXOXOX**

When Jenny returned home that evening, she began making dinner, an Italian dish Tony had stolen the recipe for from Ziva and sent to her. He had done so much for her. He was the only one who'd noticed she was still alive, rescuing her from the body bag and getting her to and LA hospital. Then he'd bought her ticket to Paris. Over the years he'd sent her letters keeping her updated with news from home. E-mail was too risky, too easily traced by Abby and McGee, the same went for the phone. She'd bought a cell phone and sent him the number but it was purely for emergencies. But it was too risky for her to send him many letters. Any she did send had to be written in such a way that if Ziva or anyone else read them, they wouldn't become suspicious.

After dinner she curled up in the armchair which sat in front of the doors to the balcony with a book and read until it was late, then she went to bed. And such was her existence in Paris, lonely, repetitive, yet necessary.

**XOXOXOX**

"Pack your bags."

"Where're we going boss?" Tony asked.

"Paris."

"Paris?" Ziva asked. "Why?"

"Because Ensign Johnson's wife lives there," Gibbs called over his shoulder.

**XOXOXOX**

"Bonjour mademoiselle."  
"Bonjour," Jenny smiled, handing her book to the shop assistant.  
"En anglais?" he asked.  
"Oui," she replied. "To improve my English," she added in French.  
"Ah, mais oui, mais oui," he smiled. "Sept euro sil vous plait." She handed him the money. "Merci mademoiselle."  
"Merci. Au revoir."

As Jenny left the store, her cell phone went off. She took it from her bag, expecting it to be a message from her operator. It wasn't. One new message: Tony. It read:

case taking us 2 paris. ziva mcg n gibbs all comin 2. arrive 2moro morn. Text u when we arrive. T

**XOXOXOX**

"So where does Johnson's wife stay?" McGee asked as he reached for a croissant at breakfast the next morning. They'd arrived in the early hours of the morning and were all jet lagged. Except Gibbs of course.

Gibbs read out the address. Tony's ears pricked up. That was Jenny's apartment building. He swore silently. As soon as he got the chance he sent a message to Jenny.

woman stays in ur buildin. gibbs n mcg goin 2 speak 2 her. mite talk 2 neighbours. stay out. i'll send u a message wen they r back. T


	2. Chapter 2

Jenny went to the Eiffel Tower. She'd been up it numerous times since she moved to Paris. To begin with she'd been afraid of the height. Now, it no longer bothered her. She leaned on the railing and looked down at the city, which from this height looked tiny. In her bag were all her letters from Tony, just in case Gibbs' nose got the better of him when no one answered at her apartment. To her right a family, tourists, squealed at the height. When they spoke she heard they were German. They pointed at the famous landmarks, and peered nervously downwards. To her left was a father and daughter, the father holding on to the daughter, who looked apprehensive about the height. When they spoke it was in lilting French. Jenny watched them for a moment, the interaction between father and daughter, before turning back to the city before her.

**XOXOXOX**

"Isn't it kinda weird for a US Navy Officer's wife to live in Paris?"  
"Well yeah McGee," Gibbs replied sarcastically.  
"Sorry boss."  
"What've I told you about apologising?" Gibbs knocked on the door of Maria Johnson's apartment. No answer. So they invited themselves in.

"She's obviously not coming back," McGee said when they came out again. "The place was spotless."  
"Interview the neighbours," Gibbs said. "You go down, I'll go up."  
"Uh, boss?"  
"What?"  
"My French is a little rusty."  
"So's mine. That's why I'm going to use English."

Gibbs knocked on apartment number _vingt-un_ but no answer came.

"Hello?" he called. Then, just in case, "Bonjour?" His French accent really was awful. It was awful eleven years ago and it hadn't improved. Still no answer came. His head told him to move on the the next apartment. His gut told him something was up. He followed his head, but his gut still bothered him.

"Thank you," he said when he finished talking to the woman in apartment _vingt-duex_. Then he had an idea. "What can you tell me about the people from apartment twenty one?"

"Just one woman," she replied. "Middle aged. Lives alone. I have not seen her with anyone else. No visitors either. She will say hello if you do and smile but she looks lonely, oui? I do not know her name. She say she is from Marseilles, but she does not have a Marseilles accent, oui? She does not have an accent from a specific place, you understand? I do not think she is French."

"Merci," Gibbs replied. On his way back downstairs he stopped to knock on _vingt-un_ again but there was still no answer. _What the hell_ he thought, and picked the lock.

The apartment was small. A single armchair sat by the French doors onto the small balcony. In the kitchen there was only one chair at the table. There were books scattered about the apartment. He picked one off the coffee table. It was in English. It wasn't that unusual, he knew from experience that many bookshops sold English books. In the bedroom closet he checked the labels of the clothes. They were mostly American. There didn't appear to be anything out of place, so why was his gut bothering him. Gibbs shook his head and was about to leave when he saw a photo lying face down near the door. Thinking he'd knocked it down, he bent to pick it up. Then he turned it over, think it might give him a clue about who lived here. It did more than that.

**XOXOXOX**

Tony lounged on the deckchair by the pool. Ziva was currently doing lengths, and Tony felt tired just watching her. Behind his sunglasses his eyes were drooping shut and he threatened to doze off. He was awoken by a piece of paper being slapped onto his lap. He jumped and saw Gibbs glaring at him.

"Geez boss, I wasn't sleeping, I swear! And anyway, I'm jetlagged!" He noticed the paper. "What's this?" He picked it up and saw it wasn't paper but a photo. In the back ground Ziva climbed out of the pool, grabbing a towel and throwing a questioning look at McGee. Tony turned the photo and felt his blood run cold, despite the heat of the evening sun. It was the photo he'd sent Jenny only a few days ago.

"Why the hell did I find a picture of you, Ziva and your son in the apartment of a woman today DiNozzo?" Gibbs snapped.

"I have no idea," Tony lied.

"Tony?" Ziva asked, coming forward to look at the photo. "What is going on?"

"I want to tell you," he said, looking from Gibbs to Ziva. "Believe me, I do. But I don't know who I'm more scared of."

"I think Gibbs," McGee offered.

"Well yeah, but Ziva can hurt me in more ways," Tony said. "I think. But it wasn't just them I was thinking of. If I tell you, they'll kill me. They swore me to secrecy and it's not a promise I'm about to break. Unless it's life or death."

"Trust me DiNozzo, it is," Gibbs said. "_Your_ life or death."

"Sorry boss," Tony said. "But I'm not telling you. And you can whack me as hard as you like. When I make a promise like that, I keep it."

"A promise like what?"

"A promise on my son's life."

**XOXOXOX**

It was dusk when Jenny returned home. Tony hadn't sent her a message but she figured it would be okay to so by now. Her apartment was in darkness. Jenny left her bag on the table and went over to the French doors and opened them, letting in the fresh air and the distant sounds of the city. In the distance the Eiffel Tower was lit up.

"Hello Jenny."

She spun around and her gaze fell on a figure in the darkness. The lights from outside shone faintly on his face. It had been three years but she still felt her stomach constrict.

"Hello Jethro," she whispered.

**NCISNCISNCIS**

**Durn, durn, durn... **

**Reviews make my day. :)**

**Christina x  
**


	3. Chapter 3

They could feel the electricity in the air passing between them. Neither could nor wanted to move. It was Gibbs who eventually moved first. He walked across the room slowly and put his hand on her shoulder at the base of her neck. Jenny inhaled at his touch.

"You're real," he whispered. "Thought it might be a dream."

"If it is, I don't want to wake up," she whispered.

"Me neither."

Silence fell again. Jenny knew he deserved an explanation.

"I had to," she began.

"Jen," he interrupted. It was then she realised his hand was still at the base of her neck, now playing with a curl of her hair. She glanced at it then looked up into his eyes and knew she was lost. It was his eyes, it had always been his eyes. She shut hers, trying to gain control of her thoughts which were racing away from her like a train, totally confused. Then she felt his lips gently brush hers. Jenny opened her eyes again and saw Gibbs standing even closer than he had been a minute ago. They stood for a moment, then stepping forward, his hands on her waist as they kissed passionately. Jenny pulled him closer, feeling his arms tighten around her.

**XOXOXOX**

"I'm almost afraid to ask, but where's Gibbs?" Tony asked, bleary eyed the next morning.

"I do not know," Ziva replied.

"I haven't seen him since last night," McGee said.

Tony couldn't help but feel worried. He hadn't had a chance to send a message to Jenny. He hoped she was okay, and that Gibbs hadn't done anything stupid. He pulled out his cell phone and called Gibbs. No answer.

Gibbs' cell phone vibrated, abandoned, completely forgotten. The caller ID said: DiNozzo cell.

**XOXOXOX**

Tony was worried. There had been no sign of Gibbs all day, and when any of them called his cell, no one answered. He'd sent several messages to Jenny too. His gut told him Gibbs had figured it out. His head told him he should go and see if she was okay. His heart told him he shouldn't. But he called Gibbs' cell one final time, leaving a message on the voice mail.

**XOXOXOX**

They knew it was time to talk, time for explanations. But neither wanted to be the first to break the silence. Gibbs' hand rested on the curve of Jenny's waist. Green eyes looked into blue. But Gibbs' cell phone interrupted them. He swore quietly and got up to find it, before slipping back under the covers. He flicked it open and listened.

"Hey boss. This is like the tenth message I've left. We're worried. Where are you? If you don't call back I'm getting McGee to trace your cell. We've traced the wife. Call me!" Tony.

"I have to go," he said quietly. Jenny nodded. He wanted to kiss her again, but felt she'd put up barriers around herself. So he got up and left.

Jenny got up and pulled on her robe. She made coffee and ate a pain au chocolate because she knew she should eat since she'd skipped dinner the night before. Then, holding her mug, she curled up in her armchair and stared out the window at the city.

**XOXOXOX**

"There you go bella," Tony grinned, handing Ziva her coffee.

"We are in France Tony, you should say ma cheri," she corrected, taking the cup. "Todah."

"Prego. And I was never very good at French," he said. "And does it matter what language I say it in?" He kissed her gently.

"I guess not," Ziva smiled.

"Are you two _trying_ to make me puke?" McGee asked. Before Tony could reply his cell phone rang. He pulled it out quickly checking the caller ID.

"Hey boss," he said.

"Where are you?"

"Ten minutes from the hotel," he replied. He hesitated.

"Okay, get back there, I'll meet you."

"Sure boss," Tony said. But the line was already dead. "Gibbs'll meet us at the hotel," he explained. He quickly sent a message to Jenny.

r u okay? T

**XOXOXOX**

Later that day, Jenny heard the door open and close but she didn't look round. She'd barely moved from the armchair all day, staring out across the city.

"Hi," Gibbs said quietly.

"Hello," she replied.


	4. Chapter 4

"How did you find out?" Jenny asked.

"I found a photo of Tony and Ziva in your apartment," Gibbs explained. "When I confronted Tony he wouldn't tell me anything. I realised there was only one person he would be that loyal to. You."

"If it wasn't for him I'd be dead," she said. "He was the only one who noticed I was alive. He rescued me and took me to hospital. Then to the airport. The first available flight was to Paris. It seemed like fate. We kept in contact. I made him promise not to tell anyone."

"Why?" She could've sworn she heard a slight crack in his voice, but told herself she was imagining it.

"Because Jenny Shepard died. Everyone thinks she's dead. I can't change that. I was sick, I thought I was going to die anyway. But I recovered. By then it was too late."

Silence fell again. Jenny got up from the armchair and stepped out onto the balcony, leaning against the railings. A minute later Gibbs arms slipped around her waist and he put his chin on her shoulder, so their faces touched. They stood there for over half an hour, neither moving, neither speaking. Everything always seemed so simple in Paris. But it wasn't simple, it was as far from simple as you could get and Jenny knew that. It was Jenny who moved first, removing Gibbs' arms from her waist, taking his hand in hers, and leading him inside.

**XOXOXOX**

They were both awake. The lights of the city and the faint strains of the morning's first light peeked through the half drawn curtains. Jenny lay on her side, her back to Gibbs, staring at the window. This had to end now. He would go back to DC, she would stay here. It was the only way. He tried to pull her close to him and placed a kiss on her neck.

"Jethro, no," she said quietly.

"Jen..."

"No," she repeated. "We can't. There's no way."

He grabbed her waist and turned her to face him.

"Jen, if you want something enough, there's always a way," he told her.

"Jenny Shepard is dead," she said. "It's too late to chance that. If I turn up alive there'll be too many questions. I made my choice, for better or for worse."

"Jenny listen to me," he said, placing a hand on her cheek. "I love you. We can find a way, I know we can. But tell me that you don't love me, look in my eyes and tell me that you don't love me and mean it, and I'll go, this ends."

**XOXOXOX**

"Ah, our last day in Paris," Tony said as they walked down the street. "I won't miss it."

"You do not like Paris?" Ziva asked.

"Not really," he replied. "My nerves are shot. And they all speak French."

"That might be because we're in France," McGee replied.

"Way to point out the obvious probie," Tony retorted.

"Oh, for goodness sake, do not start fighting!" Ziva exclaimed.

"Truce probie? At least until we get home?"

"Truce," McGee agreed.

"Todah, grazie, merci, thank you," Ziva said. Tony's cell phone vibrated in his pocket. It was a message from Jenny. He opened it.

I'm fine. Why don't u take ziva n mcgee 2 the top of the eiffel tower? its beautiful. J x

"Hey guys, I have an idea," Tony said.

"What?"

"It's a surprise."

"Why does that not reassure me?" Ziva asked.

**XOXOXOX**

Jenny stared out over the city. Next to her Gibbs did the same. Neither had spoken since they stepped out of the lift at the top of the Eiffel Tower. They'd made their decision, they knew what had to be done.

"Not scared of heights are you probie?" Tony grinned.

"No Tony, I'm not," McGee replied.

"I thought you two were not going to fight?" Ziva asked.

"We're not," Tony said. "I'm teasing him."

"Wow, look at the view," McGee said.

"It is amazing," Ziva added. Tony nodded, looking around. He froze. It couldn't be... Oh crap. Jenny. And Gibbs? Double oh crap. Before he could find some excuse for them to go round to the other side of the viewing platform McGee and Ziva turned and saw what he saw.

"Is that...?" McGee started.

"It cannot be," Ziva whispered. The ex-Director and their boss were now coming over.

"Jenny, you're alive!" Tony said, faking surprise.

"I hope you lie better than that when you're undercover," Jenny smiled. "You don't have to lie to them anymore."

"Oh thank God," Tony sighed.

"Tony?" Ziva said. "You knew?"

"Ziva I was not about to argue with the director of NCIS," he replied. "She scares me almost as much as you and Gibbs."

"Are you coming back with us?" Ziva asked.

"Jennifer Shepard is dead," Jenny replied. "She can't come back."

"So you're staying?" Tony asked.

"Did she say that DiNozzo?" Gibbs said.

"Er... No?"

"Jennifer Shepard can't come back," Jenny explained. "Which is why I won't be going back as her."

"Who will you be going back as?" McGee frowned.

"Jenny Gibbs."


	5. Chapter 5

The next morning Tony, Ziva and McGee flew home. Gibbs decided to wait with Jenny until her new passport arrived with her new name on it. It also gave the three agents a chance to explain to Abby and Ducky that Jenny was alive and was now Gibbs' wife. The five of them had discussed it and decided that apart from Abby and Ducky, no one would know Jenny was alive. She wouldn't return to NCIS in case anyone recognised her.

Jenny looked out across the city. Tomorrow she was flying home with her husband. She smiled down at the gold wedding band on her ring finger. Gibbs came out of the bedroom and saw his wife standing on the balcony. He smiled.

"_I don't... I don't..."_

_He felt his heart constrict. He didn't think she'd say it. If she did it would break his heart._

"_I don't want you to go," she finally managed to say. "I love you." He took her head in his hands and pressed his lips to hers. "I love you," she said again when they broke apart._

"_I love you," he said before kissing her again. "I love you."_

"_I love you."_

Gibbs put his arms around Jenny's waist. She leant back against his chest. The Eifel Tower was lit up, as was the Arc de Triomphe, and the towers of Notre Dame. Paris. Where it started for them, and where they got their second chance.

**NCISNCISNCIS**

**So, what did you think? Please review and let me know. I'm think about doing a sequel set after they return to DC, maybe with Mike's reaction to finding out Jenny's alive cause I think that would be pretty funny. (I love Mike! I freaked when I thought they killed him in Rule fifty one! No spoliers for spider and the fly please!) I'm also thinking about writing a separate story with the letters Tony sent Jenny. Thank you for all the brilliant reviews! :)**

**Christina x  
**


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